It is common for young children to hit others as a way of expressing their feelings of anger, upset or frustration. Luckily, it is possible to understand the motivation behind a child's hitting behaviour, and put in place strategies to make the behaviour stop.

Recognising sensitive periods in your child’s development may be easier than you think. Have you ever wondered why your child wants to repeat the same song or story a million times? It may drive you crazy, but these are classic symptoms of sensitivity.

Many babies and toddlers go through a stage of biting. It can be a difficult time for parents because it may cause them embarrassment in front of others (if the child bites someone else), physical pain, or a complete sense of helplessness in trying to prevent it.

If you’re constantly hunting for something to serve your toddler other than the same old macaroni cheese, spaghetti, and toasted cheese sandwiches, do a little fishing at your supermarket fish counter or local fish market.

As toddlers mature and begin to explore the world they will experience a whole new range of emotions which may be difficult for them to manage. Your toddler may need your support to help manage some of these behaviours.

"When do I start toilet training?" is one of the main questions parents ask, and toilet training readiness can be the key contributing factor for months of delay, simply because parents didn't know. Just knowing what to avoid can save lots of time, tears and frustrations.

So here’s what will help me – your listening to me! Acknowledge what I am feeling; show your understanding of my distress. Don’t take it personally. I still have my trainer wheels on for learning emotional self-regulation and I suspect you do too as a parent.

The following guide aims to share information around when your toddler may be ready and willing to participate in toilet training and provides ideas on how to support them through this developmental stage.

It is often difficult to know exactly how much your toddler needs at different ages and growth stages. However, getting the right balance of energy and nutrients is an important part of toddler food choices to ensure they have a healthy start in life.